Ginger and Spice
by eyeshadow5746
Summary: It’s Christmas Eve, Harry and Ginny are alone with a box of gingerbread cookies. What will happen underneath the warm fire and the spirt of Christmas?


 SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1****

**Summary:** It's Christmas Eve, Harry and Ginny are alone with a box of gingerbread cookies. What will happen underneath the warm fire and the spirt of Christmas? 

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of these characters! Please don't sue me! It can be my Christmas present!

**Author's Note: **Here's an old tradition brought back to life for me. I used to always write fanfictions on the holidays to help celebrate but the tradition was lost when I changed my pen name and deleted all of my old fics. As I was sitting here this Christmas feeling a little sad because of problems in my life I decided to bring it back, if not just for myself, for everyone who needs something warm and happy. So here you go. A short one-shot for the holidays. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 

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**Ginger and Spice**

by: midnight goddess

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          Ginny entered the lonely common room with a small tin box tied with a shiny red bow clasped tightly in her hands. She surveyed the usual beautifully decorated scene that lay before her and she couldn't help but let a small smile flicker across her lips. 

          "Oh dear," Ginny sighed out as she set the tin box on the ground, "everyone seems to have let the fire die."

          Ginny reached out to save the dying flames as she pushed her flaming hair out of her eyes. She was so absorbed in her task that she neglected to notice the portrait hole open to allow someone else to enter the common room.

          "Oof!" 

          Ginny stopped waving her wand as her eyes widened in shock. In a flash she had stood up and spun around. She quickly covered her face, which was now as red as the sunset in the far window, as she realized what had just happened. 

          A young man with messy black hair was rubbing his head with a grimace on his face. He shoved his glasses back up his nose as he finally let his gaze fall on the surprised Ginny. 

          "You know the frog was completely Ron's idea," Harry groaned as he managed to stand on his own two feet. 

          "Harry! Are you okay?" Ginny finally managed to blurt out as she watched Harry rub his back once again. 

          "You know your family should really let you come battle Death Eaters with us, you'd be really useful," Harry joked as he sank down in a red chair next to the fire. 

          "If anything would've made you think of that it would've been when I came to the Department of Mysteries with you last year!" Ginny shot back defensively before realizing what had just happened and asking, "Are you sure you're okay?"

          "I know how to take care of myself," Harry mumbled as he closed his eyes guilty for snapping at Ginny. 

          "Where are Ron and Hermione?" Ginny asked as she noticed that a member of the trio was unusually seen without the other two members. 

          "Off celebrating I suppose," Harry replied sharply as he turned his head to the fire trying to end the conversation that was beginning to sprout. 

          Ginny looked at Harry curiously before realizing what he was talking about. She scrunched her nose as she thought of Ron and Hermione off 'celebrating'. She shook her head lightly, causing the light from the fire to reflect the golden strands. 

          "Ginny," Harry mumbled lightly breaking the awkward silence that was falling over the two, "I didn't mean it." 

          "I know," Ginny replied softly as she played with the hem of her skirt.

          "Do you want some company?" Ginny asked shyly. '_Oh this is stupid. I am completely over Harry I don't have any feelings left for him...so why am I suddenly so nervous and unsure of myself tonight?'_

"Yes," Harry answered. 

          "I was just wondering since it is Christmas Eve and you're all by yourself and so am I—" Ginny rambled before cutting herself off as she realized how Harry had responded. 

          "Would you like a cookie?" Ginny asked Harry in order to clear up her mess. 

          "Sounds good," Harry responded as he stood up and placed a hand down to Ginny who appeared not to notice it and just stood up on her own. Harry watched her walk over and pick up the tin box with interest. 

          "They're gingerbread," Ginny informed Harry as she handed him a cookie shaped like a miniature man. 

          Harry didn't eat his cookie right away but instead examined it thoroughly. He turned the cookie around in his hands and his eyes seemed to refuse to move from the cookie. 

          "What's wrong?" Ginny asked with concern.

          "It's nothing," Harry answered sharply. 

          "You can't just pretend that no one cares. If you chose not to tell me that's fine but I know you aren't telling Ron and Hermione. They're concerned just like the rest of us," Ginny warned Harry. 

          "There is nothing wrong," Harry said as if he were trying to convince himself. 

          "Suit yourself," Ginny brushed off his comment as she pulled the box of cookies next to her spot by the fire. 

          "Times like these I really miss him," Harry mumbled as he glanced down at the carpet in order to escape viewing Ginny's reaction to his comment. 

          "It must be hard," Ginny added as she scooted closer to Harry. 

          "I try to be brave and strong and fight back my emotions. Then I have to wonder who I'm trying to be brave and strong for. No one needs my strength. Hermione and Ron don't need me to be brave for them they're brave on their own," Harry explained to Ginny as he sighed and laid back on the carpet. 

          "Maybe you're just trying to be brave for yourself," Ginny suggested. 

          "Why am I hiding myself away so far that I can't even find my mind when I need it?" Harry asked Ginny with an ironic smile. 

          "You feel the need to be brave and strong, but maybe all you really need is to live," Ginny offered. 

          "I wish that life were as simple as it is for this cookie," Harry thought aloud. 

          "That cookie is not alive," Ginny reasoned with Harry as she rolled her eyes at his analogy. 

          "It just exists and doesn't have to think, worry, or hurt," Harry justified.

          "It also doesn't ever have the chance to laugh, dance, or love," Ginny told Harry as she ran her hands across the gingerbread cookie. 

          "Love only causes pain," Harry speculated. 

          "Isn't the happiness that it brings at first worth it?" Ginny questioned. 

          "Why are you so determined to prove me wrong?" Harry asked as he glanced over at Ginny with a straight face. 

          "I don't think you should give up on everyone who cares about you," Ginny replied quietly.

          "I'm not giving up on anyone," Harry retorted. 

          "That's what it feels like!" Ginny exclaimed as her face become flushed with the anger that flowed through her veins instantly at that moment. 

          "Why are you making things so much more difficult?" Harry inquired lividly. 

          "I'm not doing anything. You're making things difficult on your own!" Ginny spat out as she stood up to leave the common room. 

          "Ginny," Harry began as he stood up also. 

          "Will you please just leave me alone?" Ginny demanded as she began to leave the room. Hot tears were beginning to form in her clear eyes blinding her vision, which caused her to land back on the ground with a thump. 

          "Those damn cookies," Ginny mumbled as she looked up into Harry's concerned face. 

          "I'm confused!" Harry shouted to no one in particular, he looked deeply into the fire as he whispered, "I'm just so confused." 

          "You'll realize someday," Ginny counseled. 

          "When?" Harry asked as his eyes widened in expectation. 

          "When there's someone who you love so much that it doesn't matter how much pain you have to endure as long as you can still love her," Ginny responded as she got up to leave. 

          "How will I know?" Harry asked as he sat down next to Ginny on the floor. 

          "You'll just look into her eyes one day and you'll know," Ginny answered as she moved to stand up quickly, not wanting to stay with this conversation any longer. 

          "Stay," Harry commanded as he pulled her gently back down to the ground, "have a cookie." 

          Ginny took another cookie out of the box; her old one had long been discarded on the floor, and bit into it carefully. She winced as she looked up into Harry's laughing eyes. 

          "Where did you get these?" Harry asked.

          "Hagrid," Ginny laughed out as she tossed the cookie back down on the ground, "I'm going to bed." 

          Harry stood up quickly before Ginny and put a hand down to help Ginny up. This time she placed her small hand in his and allowed him to help her off of the floor. Harry smiled as he looked deeply into her light brown eyes. Without a moment's hesitation he leaned down a lightly pressed his lips to Ginny's. Ginny responded as she brought her hands up to his face lightly. They broke apart with small smiles growing on their faces.

          "Merry Christmas," Harry breathed as he turned to head to his dorm, leaving Ginny standing in the light of the flickering fire. 

**The End**

**Author's Note: **So there you have it my Christmas present to all of you. I'll have you know it took me an hour to finally think of the idea and then type out this sort barely four page story. I lost lots of sleep and I'm sure Santa was angry because he wasn't able to come since I was still awake. Hope you enjoyed and please review!

Oh and I have to thank my beta Britt! She is amazing and very helpful giving up her Christmas to beta this for me! So go read all of her fics and review! She deserves it!


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